


Receiving More Than You Seek

by Ononymous



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 09:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13633374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: What the heck's up with Asgore, wondered Undyne. He bursts into my house and drags me out with his kids and he's so excited. Why's he so excited?Why's he so like me?





	Receiving More Than You Seek

"Alphys! Hurry up!"

"Coming..."

Yawning and stretching, the lizard shook her head a little, clearing the last few cobwebs from her mind as she finished waking up. The weather must be beautiful outside right now. Why else would Undyne be in such an agitated state? Oh well, she'd had a few pretty sedentary days, and such streaks never lasted long. Time to see what Undyne had in mind. Sounded like she was in the kitchen.

"There you are! The weather's amazing -" Yep, called it. "-so we're going hiking!"

Alphys couldn't have prevented this even if she wanted to. "O-okay, Unnie." She scuttled over to a cupboard and retrieved the well stocked bugout bag she kept packed for just such an occasion.

"That's the spirit! Now we just gotta head over to Asgore's house and ask him to-"

 _CRASH._ "Undyne!" Speak of the devil.

The front door banging off the wall and Asgore's deep bellow gave them a second's warning before he burst into the kitchen. For a moment Alphys thought something was wrong, he sounded agitated. But then as he beamed at the two of them, his eyes told a different story. He was excited. Perhaps more excited than he had ever been in their presence. His slightly unusual clothing choice underlined this, the light flower-smothered shirts of his preference replaced with a thicker plaid garment, accompanied by a light jacket. Between fur and fire magic he didn't need much to handle the weather, but a little extra didn't hurt.

"Oh, uh," Undyne was briefly caught off balance by the interruption, but recovered, "Hey there Fluffybuns! I was just about to say we should-"

"I want to show you something! Let's go on a hike!"

To be beaten to the punch like this was even more unusual than Asgore’s demeanour. Past experience told Alphys that Undyne wouldn't be sure what to make of this. But how she'd respond was less unpredictable.

"Hell yeah! Alph just needs to lock up and-"

"There's no time! Let's go now, just the four of us!"

Undyne's strategy of eternal confidence flickered in the urgency. "Four of us? Oh, what's up you kids?"

Undyne, and therefore Alphys, had spotted who would constitute "just the four of us". Behind Asgore, both far more comfortable with expressing bewilderment than Undyne, stood Frisk and Asriel, wearing similarly sturdy shirts and jackets, Frisk's being somewhat thicker than their brother's. Asriel's preference of jumpers and t-shirts over shirts and jackets was revealing itself, as a missed button allowed a tuft of white fur to poke through a gap on his belly. Even if there was time to say anything, Alphys would have been polite enough not to mention it.

"So, you two getting dragged into- Woah!"

With a gentle touch but an ironclad grip, Asgore had seized Undyne's wrist and was not-quite-pulling her out of the house. The two children grunted apologetically at Alphys before following their father. Availing of the Royal Reprieve she'd just been granted, Alphys shrugged, returned her bag to its proper place and started rummaging in the fridge for something unhealthy to snack on. The newest subs would be posted later that morning anyway.

* * *

From the beginning the expedition was unusual. Whenever she would drag Alphys and Asgore out on a hike, Undyne always turned right at the end of the street towards a series of wooded hills, acknowledging that the truly breathtaking views she sometimes saw on her solo trips were beyond her girlfriend's stamina. Asgore steered the group to the left, towards the center of town.

"So what's in town that we gotta see, Asgore? Gerson got a new import of novelty china cups or something?"

"Of course not! There's no time to explain, please keep up!"

And indeed they passed Gerson's shop. And the garden center. And even the bookshop Asgore sometimes visited, building a collection of artbooks depicting sweeping vistas not unlike the view from Mount Ebott. By the time they passed Grillby's, where the uncomfortably warm proprietor was handing out free samples of tea, Undyne realised their destination was unlikely to be anywhere in town. She glanced at the kids, who each gave her a shrug. Clearly they had been roped into this with just as little advance notice. Soon they had left the town entirely. While their immediate surroundings were flat, hills and mountains loomed in the distance.

"Oh, the Dethre Mountains are this way. Cool! There's a cliff face that's a really awesome challenge to climb. I bet you could totally do it!"

"Sounds exciting," said Asgore sincerely, "but that's not what I have in mind today."

And to confirm this, as the mountains came into view, Asgore had the three of them abruptly change direction, leading onto a lonely sideroad. He wasn't running or even marching, but his pace was pretty brisk all the same. The excitement that radiated off him gave the whole expedition importance, but it wasn't coupled with urgency, despite how Undyne had been dragged out of her house. This pace was child's play for her, but the actual children might have trouble.

"Hey, you two doing alright?"

"...yeah..."

One word from between two mouths, specifically the furrier of them. Frisk had just nodded. Undyne was inclined to accept such a gesture from Frisk, as their escapades in the Underground showed they could handle a lot, and didn't need to expound. And even if they were struggling a little, they were way too determined to indicate otherwise. Asriel, on the other hand... His single word reminded her of Alphys, whose solo words would be an indicator that she was already getting winded. Sounded like he had similar issues.

"If you're gettin' a little tired from a stroll like this, then whatever your dad's got planned will probably leave you floored, Prince! You need to go outside more often!"

"I do!" he insisted indignantly, "And I... used to run around... all the time in... the Underground. It's just... my body is kinda... out of the habit."

Undyne didn't comprehend the full complexities of how Asriel had come back into everyone's life, and she had given up torturing Alphys to explain the finer points, but she could understand how easy it was to lose an edge you once had. "I get it, you gotta get back in the groove. We all have funks like that. I should take up gym class at your school more often, help you push your limits!"

He was nakedly nervous about this prospect, but equally eager as well. "That would be so... cool! I still remember... last time!"

"So does Mom," said Frisk, "and she still remembers the repair bill as well."

"Hey, she's the one who talked about omelettes and eggs in teaching-how-to-cook class!"

The kids started laughing, and even Asgore joined in. That was pretty good, thought Undyne. If that grudge or awkwardness or whatever it was between him and Toriel had faded enough that he could be comfortably amused about junk like that, that was healthier in the long run. Not that she probed about how things were on that front. Come to think of it, she'd kinda lost track of how things were between the King and Queen. Asgore had politely explained soon after the barrier broke that it was a matter for the two of them alone, but it was the kind of politeness that left Undyne clear of the consequences of defiance. Still though, she couldn't help but wonder. Maybe the kids could tell- Wait, what was that crunching noise?

"Careful Son, your feet might not be used to walking on gravel."

"Hee hee, it tickles!"

The smooth tarmac of the road had given way not long after the one or two houses they had passed, and whoever was in charge of maintenance had given up not long after, opting for gravel to conceal the dirt and mud that would otherwise comprise the road. This wasn't the only shift in their scenery, concealed by their conversation and her thoughts. The open scenery had been swallowed up by dense, ancient trees, not unlike those Frisk had shown her once, when recounting how they had fallen into the Underground. Asgore had missed his son's comment after the warning, for he was looking round at the trees with satisfaction, and what looked like reminiscence.

"So, uh, do you know this-"

"Shh! Sorry, one moment."

Asgore approached a particularly gnarled tree and knelt besides it, feeling the base of the trunk with his large hands. After a few seconds he gasped excitedly.

"This is the tree! We turn off the path here. Come on!"

Asriel and Frisk followed at once, taking slightly careful steps on the uneven terrain among the trees. Undyne allowed herself a moment's break to examine the tree, trusting she could catch up quickly. Copying what Asgore had done she felt the trunk, and it didn't take long to find what he had found. It was almost completely gone, covered over by fresh bark, but the Delta Rune had been carved into the tree, what must have been many years ago.

* * *

With the supply of smooth pathway exhausted, the pace had slowed, but Asgore's unexplained enthusiasm was as strong as ever. If anything he seemed more confident about where he was going, even if his progress was slightly marred by watching out for roots or fallen branches. Frisk continued keeping up regardless, looking around a little more than the others. Meanwhile Asriel's speech wasn't interrupted as much by breathing, the reduced speed giving his stamina a chance to replenish.

"So what are you gonna show us, Dad?"

"I cannot spoil the surprise, Son. I never thought I- No, just keep up for now."

"Come on, can't you give us a clue or something?"

"No, Frisk."

"Dammit Asgore you old goat, you're enjoying this!"

"You know what, Undyne? I am." He looked back at them with a mischievous grin. It suited him, and Undyne couldn't help but return it. She was enjoying this too. "It shouldn't be too long, we just have to- Oh..."

He finally came to a halt. The dense cluster of trees had unexpectedly opened up to a clearing. The ground was devoid of grass or other greenery, and a faint scent of smoke hung in the air.

"What's wrong, Dad?"

"I... there should be more trees."

"Well they're over there."

"Yes, but... I am not sure which one is the correct one. There must have been a forest fire. The marker tree burned down." A familiar sombre expression stole across his face.

"Was it the only marker?"

At Asriel's prompt, Asgore was suddenly full of determination. "No, there should be the next one. We just have to find it. I cannot lose this opportunity. Cross the clearing and we'll look for it!"

They split into pairs. Asgore took Frisk to check the trees near a lake, while Undyne and Asriel felt trees near the edge of the charred clearing. Undyne knew what she was looking for, a stroke of fortune she'd observed the first marker tree, but rubbing the wood against the scales on her fingers got irritating after long. Asriel's fur blunted this effect, while still allowing him to actually feel for possible indents. To keep her mind off the irritation Undyne tried a little conversation.

"So, uh, you got any idea what your dad's trying to show us?"

"No, and we begged him to tell us all the way to your house, but he wouldn't say! I mean, if it was a flower or a teacup or a model ship he'd just bring it round, wouldn't he?"

"I guess. Hang on, model ship? When did he get into model ships?"

Asriel looked a little crestfallen. "Oh, I forgot. It was a hobby he had in the old days, building them. I think there's still a few in a wardrobe in our old house underground."

"Huh. Now you mention it, I can totally see your dad doing that. He's brought over those little bawnsigh trees and showed Alph and me how he prunes 'em."

"Yeah, he's really gotten into those ever since Frisk told him about it. We even bought him a grooming kit for his birthday."

"Good thinking. I dunno what he thought of that armour polish I got him. I mean, he looked pleased and said thanks but, uh, you know..."

"He'd say that anyway?" This kid knew his old man pretty well. "Well I've seen him use it, so don't worry."

"Really?!"

"Yeah! I mean, not to polish his armour, but turns out it's really good for cleaning the oven. He can't cook like Mom does, so he uses it a lot more."

"Hah! I'll take it! Wonder why he stopped building ships, though?"

Asriel frowned. "He never told me. And I've had a lot of chances to ask. But I remember the last time I saw him building one. He was using tweezers to put the mast in place, but he couldn't quite do it right, so I asked him if I could help because my hands are smaller, and he said okay, and I went and broke the mast in two. And he just laughed! Golly, that was funny, even though wasn't long before... I..."

Something was dawning on his face, and it was obvious he didn't like it. Frankly, neither did Undyne. Much like Asgore and Toriel's relationship, she'd been politely requested not to probe Asriel about what happened to him. She knew the broad strokes from the story anyway. He's gone and talked himself into crying, she thought, and as sweet as he was and as much as he meant to Asgore, he really did need to toughen up sometimes. In her experience punching worked better than crying anyway. But she couldn't just yell an order at him to toughen up. He outranked her for one. Maybe when Toriel forgot that repair bill she could yell in gym class again. Distraction would have to do for now.

"Uh, hey look," she yelled, pointing wildly, "I think that's the tree!"

"Really?" He spun round to where she was pointing, and approached the candidate. "Hey, you're right! There's the Delta Rune!"

"Of course I'm right!" she bluffed "Now to signal Asgore. _NGAH!_ "

Asriel had been conjuring a small flame upon hearing the word signal, but Undyne beat him to the punch, the blue spear streaking through an impossibly narrow gap in the branches and leaves. They heard the thud of impact, preceding a flock of birds taking off from a dozen nests. "Coming, Undyne!" came the echo-riddled call of Asgore.

* * *

He was delighted when he saw the tree, clearly lining up with whatever plan he had in his head, and thanked both of them earnestly. The delay meant that despite the uneven terrain, he insisted on a slightly faster pace, which resulted in a few trip ups for Asriel and Frisk. As would be expected, Asgore wheeled around to help them get back to their feet, but as soon as they were he resumed his pace.

"Hey Dad," said Frisk, "I've never seen these flowers before."

"The Autumn Crocus. _Crocus Sativus_." said Asgore, without even looking back. "Produces saffron, a rare and delicious spice more valuable than gold. Originated in the Mediterranean, but humans grow them everywhere nowadays. Now keep up!"

There was a rare but clear hint of impatience in his tone now. He sounded more like... well, Undyne whenever she was talking a trainee through the proper drill manoeuvres. And not stopping to indulge an interest in flowers? Either he's been brainwashed, or this was really important to him. Which one was still up in the air to Undyne.

"Is that water I hear?" asked Asriel.

Undyne hadn't heard it at first – those Dreemurr ears did more than flop, it turned out – but as they continued the sound reached her ears as well. A wide stream blocked their progress Unlike the burnt clearing, Asgore wasn't perturbed by this, so he had been expecting it.

"Doesn't look too deep," said Undyne, "so we could ford across and you could dry us up with fire. Or maybe there's a bridge you know about. Or-"

" _AHH!_ "

The two cries destroyed her train of thought. Asgore had seized Asriel and Frisk, bundled them up under each arm, charged towards the bank and then leapt into the air. His hair and ears trailed majestically behind them as he soared over the stream, before landing with a controlled but heavy thud on the far side, and carefully put his children down. Even from her side, Undyne saw the terror etched into Asriel's face. Then it melted into a laugh of triumph.

"That was so cool! Do it again, Dad!"

"No time, Son." he said tersely, but he was smiling as well. "Come on, Undyne! Join us!"

She could have just leapt over herself, but if today was a day of showing off something unusual. "Anyone can do that, but can they do _this_?"

Allowing a little magic to flow down to her feet, Undyne charged towards the stream as Asgore had done. She did not jump however. Instead she ran into the water. Or rather, on the water. Her magic kept her from falling through, at the side effect of disproportionately large splashes trailing her path. It didn't take long to reach the other side, and she skidded to a halt before the three of them, but not without showering them with soil.

"Oh! Uh, sorry you guys."

"That was even cooler!" yelled Asriel. "Can you teach me to do that?!"

"Oh, sure, I offer to teach you to move _in_ the water and you balk, but now you want to move _on_ the water? All or nothing, Prince!"

"Well, I-"

"Another day perhaps," interjected Asgore, "we need to keep moving."

* * *

The adrenaline earned from crossing the stream kept any lingering bewilderment at Asgore's attitude at bay for quite a while. It didn't even faze them when he stopped abruptly in another clearing, though one far more teaming with life than the first one had been. The need for jackets was becoming apparent, as the pleasant breeze was gathering in strength.

"Is this what you wanted to show us, Dad?"

"No, Son, but the next leg may be difficult, so I have planned a short break." Taking out a phone that looked like a playing hard in his oversized hands, he carefully used a claw to poke at the screen. Three packs of sandwiches and a flask that probably had tea flashed into existence. "Your mother wouldn't approve if I neglected to feed my own children." He gave two packs to the kids, and the third to Undyne. "I cut the crusts off, I know they get stuck in your teeth sometimes."

"Oh, uh, cool." She unwrapped the pack and glanced down at the crisp lettuce poking from between the slices of bread. "Thanks, Asgore!"

"Now, I suggest you sit on that log over there If I recall, it's rather comfortable. I am going to make sure the way is clear."

With that, he lumbered off. The three of them followed his advice and sat down to eat their sandwiches. He had been right, Undyne appreciated not worrying about the annoying way bread crust interacted with her teeth. What was the point of them being so sharp if they could be defeated by bread? As Frisk chewed on their sandwich, Undyne saw they were thinking about something.

"Has Dad ever been like this before?" they asked. "You know, kinda like you, Undyne?"

"Oh, sure!" 

Frisk had gotten two identical and simultaneous answers. The two monsters looked at each other briefly, and Asriel chuckled, ceding the floor to Undyne.

"I mean, it's unusual he's like this, but if something drills down into his soul nothing will stand between him and his target. But hey, you first Prince!"

"Okay. Well, back in the old days, Gerson found a packet of seeds in the garbage in Waterfall, and you know Dad and his plants, so obviously he got first pick. And he went through every book the Royal Scientist had trying to identify them, and he did: They would form a plant you could make tea leaves from, so he could brew his own tea!"

"So that's where he got the idea!"

"Well that came later, but once he realised this it had his undivided attention. Mom basically had to run the Kingdom all by herself, because Dad was running to Snowdin and back, buying equipment to make sure the plant would thrive, because the soil in the Underground wasn't well suited for it, and he would stare at the pot for hours at a time, looking for when it would sprout. I don't think he knows, but I definitely heard him yell at the plant to hurry up.

"Yeah, that sounds more like me!"

"Well you should have seen him when it finally sprouted. He was weeping with joy, he hugged Mom so tight I thought he'd never let go, and I stayed out of his reach to avoid the same fate."

"Smart move, Asriel! His hugs can be... intense. But wait, he never had such a plant in my day. What happened?"

"Oh, um," Asriel fiddled with his ears a little, "I was practicing my magic, and I accidentally burnt it. He didn't come out of the bedroom for days after I did that."

Undyne burst out laughing. "Fuhuhuhuhuhuhu! Just like him! Well don't worry about it, I've burned down loads of stuff and he never got mad for long."

"Okay Undyne, your turn," said Frisk, "when was he like you?"

"When else? When we were training."

The children perked up at this.

"So Frisk knows this already, but for the longest time I couldn't lay a hand on him when we sparred. He's a full blown twinkle toes when he wants to be! And I ended up eating the mat more often than not, but he always helped me up. Well one day when I came in he seemed pretty thoughtful about something, and when I fell on my butt again, he didn't help me, he just ordered me to get up and try again. So I did! And fell again! And now he was yelling. 'Today's the day, Undyne! Stay determined!' Well you don't need to tell ME to stay determined! So I tried again, and even though he was pushing me he wouldn't let up, and he wouldn't let me let up either, and then I was getting up without him telling me to and he wouldn't stop saying how he believed I could do it, to let the water flow or bend like a sapling or some crap like that, and there was a fire in his eyes, and it was super awesome, and finally I just **NGAHHHH!** "

She had leapt to her feet and thrown a spear at a tree on the opposite side of the clearing, shearing a low hanging branch in the process. Her fists were clenched.

"And then he's lying on his back and he bursts out laughing. First time I ever saw him that happy! It's like he wanted to be beaten so badly but wouldn't allow himself to throw the fight!"

Asriel looked on in wonder, but both monsters missed the slightly uncomfortable look on Frisk's face. Undyne was breathing heavily to calm herself down.

"And that's when I knew the King was an alright guy. I mean, all the Waterfall kids heard the stories about the war, but seeing it was amazing! Yeah, he's actually a fuzzy pushover, but he earned the right to rule us."

"Um, he never thought of it as ruling monsters," said Asriel, "he thought of it as leading monsters."

"Huh? What's the difference?"

"I never got it for a long time, but I think I do now. If you rule, it's like everyone has to do what you say to benefit you. But if you lead, it's more like they're working together at your instruction to benefit everyone."

"Oh. You know, that's a good point, Asriel! You'll probably be a great King yourself someday."

Asriel looked doubtful. "I've made a lot of mistakes, Undyne. Way more than Dad ever did. Besides, there might not be a need for a king anymore if humans and monsters live in peace."

"Don't start the pity talk! You told us yourself how you broke the barrier!"

"Well yeah, but only because Frisk-"

"So you accepted wise counsel, that's a good sign of a King. And whatever your mistakes, you made it up to us! Even if you're not an official king, I'll make sure you're a great one! It's the least I can do for everything Asgore's done for me!"

Undyne missed the ambivalence on his face about the kind of aid she would lend in this venture. "You think I can?"

"I know you can," said Frisk.

"Hell yeah!” Undyne beamed, “You think Papyrus is the only one who can pick really awesome friends? I'll make sure you earn the throne even if there's no throne to earn!"

"Yeah... yeah!" Undyne's determination was infectious.

"And we'll start with sparring every day at dawn, before breakfast! Sundays off!"

"Yeah! Wait, what-"

"Undyne!" Asgore had returned. "Gather the children, we need to go!"

* * *

The path from the clearing was soon at an incline, and the soil beneath their feet became shallow and rocky. There were still dense clusters of trees, but they weren't as tall as on the flat terrain. As Asgore predicted, the children had a hard time of it. Even Frisk was breathing more heavily than usual. Surprisingly it had been Undyne suggesting she and Asgore carry them, but it was Asriel who refused, Undyne's pep talk leaving him rather averse to a concession he might have taken at the start of the journey.

"You must be gettin' tired, kid!"

"...yeah..." admitted Asriel, "but that's no... reason to stop."

"That's the spirit!"

After an hour of steep traversal, including some parts where they had to climb over rocks, the path levelled off again, running alongside the large hill they had been climbing. The wind definitely picked up now, but as he had no doubt planned, his clothing choices blunted the worst of it Even though they were still in the dark about the point of all this, Asgore's companions were getting really invested in whatever the conclusion might be.

"We're almost there," he said suddenly. "Perhaps another twenty minutes or so, and then- oh dear."

Nature had thrown another obstacle in their path. A tree, much larger than most this high up, had been uprooted in a storm and blocked the path.

"Damn!" said Undyne. "Okay, how about I help the kids to climb over it, and then we can-"

"No." His voice was full of determination, and little else. "I shall clear the way. **_HUAGH!!!_ **"****

********

His mighty hands dug underneath the trunk, and his straining grunts rivalled anything Undyne might exclaim. With a portentous groan, the tree began to rise. With another bellowing cry, Asgore hoisted the entire tree above his head, none of the other three seeing the tremendous effort on his face. And with one final exertion, he chucked it aside. It didn't go far, but it didn't have to. Its new position combined with the momentum of Asgore's throw caused it to tip over the edge of the slope, crashing noisily down and conjuring a wave of birds as they fled the wooden avalanche tumbling towards level ground. Meanwhile the only nearby sound was laboured breathing, as Asgore turned to face the others.

********

"Um," he said, "is something the matter?"

********

The momentary calm was rent by a thunderstorm of praise. Not even the owners of the voices could make out what they themselves were saying, though "Cool!" was definitely heard repeatedly. For the first time since the burnt clearing, Asgore seemed a little unsure of himself.

********

" **HEY! **" Undyne's bark silenced the other two. "We still on a schedule, Fluffybuns?"****

************ ** **

"Oh. OH! Yes, of course! Come on!"

************ ** **

They were back to the brisk pace they had left town with. Conversation had ceased, anticipation exercising a veto on the ability to speak. The wind died away again as the trees grew denser once more. And at last...

************ ** **

"We are here. This is it. Just in time."

************ ** **

Asgore had stopped in a third clearing, and turned to face them. The wild excitement had evaporated, but his eyes still bore an intensity about whatever was coming.

************ ** **

"Uh," said Frisk, "what are we-"

************ ** **

"There."

************ ** **

In a rocky outcropping lay a large natural looking crystal formation embedded firmly within it. It looked rather dull at the moment.

************ ** **

"What-"

************ ** **

"Shh..."

************ ** **

They waited for a few minutes, none of them knowing what would happen.

************ ** **

And then, a beam of sunlight reached through the trees, landing on the Crystal directly, causing it to glow. This was interesting, but apparently it was not good enough for Asgore. Approaching it, a flame appearing in his hand, he brought it down to the crystal.

************ ** **

"Woah!"

************ ** **

The crystal emitted golden light. It projected something onto the rocky face at the far end of the clearing. Whatever type of reflection – or was it refraction? Undyne would have to double check with Alphys – the angles of the crystal caused, this combination of fire and sun projected three triangles onto the wall. And there was a remarkably symmetrical crack above them, which looked like-

************ ** **

"Wings!" cried Asriel. "It's the Delta Rune!"

************ ** **

Asgore howled in laughter at what his son had realised. Frisk was the one to think ahead, taking out their phone and filming the scene. All four of them regarded the symbol for a good ten minutes, before the sun shifted out of position and the triangles vanished.

************ ** **

"Did monsters do that?" asked Frisk.

************ ** **

"No," beamed Asgore, "and the fact we did not is the whole point! I was a little older than you are – erm, physically at least – when my father took me here. It was a royal tradition. You see, distrust of monsters and our magic did not start with the war. There had always been underlying tension with a subsection of humans, with their decrying of us as unnatural, as unfortunately some still do today. As my father explained, this crystal disproves that. The same effect could be produced with natural fire, you don't need magic. When mere sun and fire can produce such deliberate shapes, even if only a few times a year, it proves nature is much more permissive about what is natural than can be assumed, and not to allow such beliefs about monsters to be validated. We are just as much a part of nature as this crystal, or those Irish rock formations I've heard about, or that face on Mars! It is why my ancestors adopted the Delta Rune as the emblem of the Kingdom."

************ ** **

"That's awesome! It's like how the throne room got sunlight now and then!" bellowed Undyne.

************ ** **

"Indeed. I'm glad you approve. I always felt a little sad after the war. Besides the obvious reasons, I would never be able to show my children this and explain what it meant. And then, well.." his happiness faded. "I lost my children."

************ ** **

It was Asriel who walked up and squeezed Asgore's large hand with both of his comparatively tiny ones. That lifted his spirits.

************ ** **

"And then when we were freed I never gave it much thought, even when I had a family again. Humans have changed the landscape dramatically since we were sealed, so I just assumed this place had been bulldozed or something like that. But then yesterday in the garden center, I overheard two humans talking about a hike they had undertaken, and from their description, I knew it was this place they had found, and I remembered the next time to see it was today, so I called Toriel to ask if you could come with me and, well, here we are."

************ ** **

There was some soft sniffling, but to everyone's surprise, it was Frisk who had been moved by the supermonster effort Asgore had gone to revive an old tradition. Asriel returned to them and gave them a hug. As heartwarming as this was however, something nagged at Undyne.

************ ** **

"This is incredibly cool, Asgore," she said calmly, "but if it's a royal tradition, why bring me along?"

************ ** **

From the look on his face, she might have been asking why he breathed. "Isn't it obvious?"

************ ** **

"Well... yeah it is!" she cried. "You can't go gallivanting off to a remote place like this without the Captain of the Royal Guard!"

************ ** **

Asgore chuckled softly. "Yes, that will do. And it has been heartwarming to see the good Captain bond with her... charges"

************ ** **

"Yeah, I had fun too! We should come out here more often. When's the next time that happens?"

************ ** **

"Oh, well every equinox for certain, but there's something about the moon's position or something – I don't recall, it was old Scaleywag who calculated the timetable before the incident with the axe – that means it sometimes happens between those times. We can worry about that another time, but yes, I would like to return here. My father only took me once."

************ ** **

"Hey, will we get home before dark?" asked Asriel. "I don't want Mom to worry."

************ ** **

"Well spotted, it's pretty late in the afternoon. I thought ahead regarding this. Sans shall be coming round soon to show us a shortcut home."

************ ** **

Frisk frowned a little. "Wait, he's in on this? Then why didn't he just bring us here in the first place?"

************ ** **

Asgore shrugged. "I felt like enjoying the journey. Can you say you didn't?" They shook their heads. Even though he was still smiling, he looked a little embarassed. "Erm, thank you all for coming."

************ ** **

"You show us something cool like that and thank US for coming? Take a freaking compliment, Asgore!"

************ ** **

He chuckled again. "Perhaps. But I cannot change how I feel."

************ ** **

As they waited, the four of them gradually turned back to look at the inert crystal for a while. Undyne got the feeling that somebody like Gerson might have appreciated this for reasons other than looking cool, but when Asgore chooses you to see it... well, that’s pretty cool in itself. He's got a knack for picking the right people to do stuff with.

************ ** **

Her dwelling on the almost sacred moment they were all sharing was abruptly cut short by a deep booming "Ooh!" from the tallest of the group, and heavy blundering footsteps approaching a bush among some trees.

************ ** **

"Over there, there's more Autumn Crocus! Oh my, they smell wonderful. I wonder if I could uproot them safely, they would look lovely next to the bluebells. And I think your mother would enjoy a supply of saffron to mix up her cooking."

************ ** **

Ah, there he was. Undyne had wondered where he'd been.

************ ** **

**Author's Note:**

> Proofread by [Doogly_Writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doogly_Writes/pseuds/Doogly_Writes).
> 
> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


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